Curtain-fixture.



I). E. BONNER. CURTAIN FIXTURE. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 30, 1907.

Phtented Dec. 20,1910.

ikh/Whom 0000015 ,5. BU/VA/[fi W 1 wt D. E. BONNER. CURTAIN FIXTURE. 1

APPLIUATION FILED ITOV'. 30. 1907. 979,252.

Patented Dec. 20, 1,910.

' 2 SHEETS-411E121 2.

.carries at each UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DOUGLAS E. BONNER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CURTAIN-FIXTURE.

Application filed November 30, 1907.

To all whom it may concern: l

Be it known that I, DOUGLAS E. BONNER, a citizen of the United States,of Chicago, county of Cook, State of Illinois, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Curtain-Fixtures, of which the following is aspecification.

The invention relates to curtain fixtures and especially to such as areadapted to be used in connection with spring actuated rollers to holdthe curtain in any desired position.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows my improved fixture applied to acurtain; Fig. 2 is a top view of my fixture, with the curtain removed;Fig. 3 is an elevation of my fixture applied to the curtain, the fixturebeing shown in a tilted position; Figs. l and 5 views of one of theheads of my and a resident are detail fixture, showlng differentpositions assumed by the brake wheel, the former when the curtain isunder upward tension, and the latter when the curtain is under downwardtension. Fig. 6 shows a modified form of the brake wheel; and Fig. 7section of Fig. 6.

In the drawings A is a curtain supported by a spring roller of the usualconstruction (not shown) which exerts a constant upward pull upon thecurtain. This curtain carries, near its lower end, in the usual manner,a curtain fixture adapted to hold the curtain in any desired position.This fixture comprises a curtain stick or a tube B, provided withopenings for the usual pinch handles, said tube carrying at each end ahead C, held upon a shank, D, adapted to slide within said tube, eachshank being conis a vertical nected by rod E, with one member of a pairof pinch handles F. The tube'B is exteriorly screw threaded at each end,and

end a knurled sleeve G, interiorly screw-threaded; this sleeve isprovided with a notch G, adapted to receive a pin H, mounted upon theshank D. The tube B is provided at each end with a slot 1, through whichthe pin H extends. The pin prevents the turning of the shank D withinthe tube, and also, together with the knurled sleeve G, limits theoutward move ment of the shank D. A spring J is held between lugs K anda nut L adjustably mounted upon the rod E, such lugsand nut formingseats for the spring. The lugs K may be formed out of a portion of thetube B as shown. The tension of the spring may Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Dec. 20, 1910.

Serial No. 404,503.

be regulated by adjusting the nut L; the spring should be depressed whenthe fixture is lengthened, and permitted to expand when the fixture isshortened.

To adjust the fixture to difierent lengths the head C is pushed towardthe tube B, so that the pin H mounted upon the shank D passes out of thenotch Gr thus permitting the knurled sleeve G to be screwed toward oraway from the center of the fixture.

It is obvious that the pinch handles may be omitted withoutsubstantially affecting the general operation or construction of mydevice.

Each head C is provided, near its upper end, with a guide wheel M, andnear its lower end with a brake wheel N. These wheels are adapted tomove in a groove, 0, in the window frame, but the guide roller M is somounted as not to be in contact with the bottom of the groove when thefixture is in normal position.

The brake wheel N is preferably constructed as follows: A round disk, 1,grooved around its periphery, is eccentrically mounted on a pin 2, so asto swing between the two side pieces 0 c of the head G, the extent ofthe movement of such disk being limited by a pin 3, extending through acurved slot l in the disk. Pins 2 and 3 are preferably secured insuitable openings in the side pieces 0 c. A ring 5 surrounds the disk 1,and is provided with interior tapering notches, 6, each notch being 0such shape and size as to permit a ball 7 to be placed into one endthereof, between the ring and the disk, and tapering toward the innerperiphery of the ring to a shape and size not sufficient to hold saidball. It is obvious that when the ring 5 is turned in a direction awayfrom the enlarged portion of the notch, the ring will pull the ball withit around the disk, while, when the ring is turned in the oppositedirection, the ball will wedge between the ring and the disk, thuseffectually preventing further rotation. It will be noted that thenotches of brake wheel N, which is mounted on the other end of thefixture, taper in a direction opposite to that of the taper of thenotches in brake wheel N. The purpose of this arrangement will beexplained hereafter. A

The operation of this device is as follows: When the curtain is underthe normal tension of the spring roller, the parts are in the positionshown in Figs. 1 and 4. The

wheel, similar to that shown in the other gures, in which the disk isadapted to be fixedly mounted upon the head by a pin inserted throughopening 2. lVhen this form of wheel is used, there is no spreading orjamming action, and such form is therefore preferably used for ordinaryrailway car window curtains.

It will, of course, be understood that when it is desired to raise thecurtain, the friction between the brake wheels and the window frame iseither removed by pressing togther the pinch handles, orovercome by anupward push. W hen, however, as is often the case, the attempt is madeto raise or lower the curtain by raising or lowering one end of thefixture by hand, the fixture will assume a position somewhat like thatshown in Fig. 3. In the position shown in this figure, the brake wheel Ncannot turn in the direction from right to left, but can easily turnfrom left to right. The roller M, which, by the tilting of the fixture,has been brought into contact with the window frame, is free to rotatein either direction. Thus, when the fixture is released, further tiltingbecomes impossible, but the fixture, acting under the upward pull of theright hand portion of the curtain, or under the outward tension of thesprings J J, or under the weight of the fixture itself, or under anycombination of these influences, rights itself by a quick upwardmovement of its right hand portion, or quick downward movement of thelefthand portion, or by a combination of both movements, or by asimultaneous upward movement of the right hand portion and downwardmovement of the left hand portion. Moreover, as the fixture is graspedbetween the left hand and the center, and pushed upwardly, the retardingact-ion of the brake wheel N causes the right friction upon the groovesin the window frame created by the pressure of the springs J J issuflicient to overcome the tension of the spring roller. It will benoted that the ring 5 of brake wheel N is prevented by the wedgingaction of the balls 7 from turning in a direction which would permit therising of the curtain. The same is true of the ring in brake wheel N,although the notches 5 taper in a direction opposite to that of thetaper of the notches in brake Wheel N. The tendency of ring 5 of brakewheel N is toturn from left to right, as the fixture is raised, whilethat on ring 5 of brake wheel N is to turn from right to left; it istherefore necessary to provide braking means on the two heads C C actingin opposite directions. When the curtain fixture is pulled downward, therings 5 of the brake wheels will be turned in a direction opposite tothe taper of the notches 6, thus releasing the balls which will then berolled along the grooved channel in the periphery of disk 1. Thus thering 5 will be free to turn in one direction, and to act as ananti-friction roller. lVhen the curtain fixture is under downwardtension, the brake wheel N will be in the position shown in Fig. 5, thatis to say, the lower end of the slot 4 will be pin 3. As the curtain 1sreleased from downward tension, comes under the upward tension of thespringroller, the brake wheel N will assume the position shown in Figs.1 and 4, that is to say, the upper end of the slot 4 will be in contactwith the pin 3. In assuming the latter position, the brake wheel swingsoutwardly on its pivot 2, thus increasing the friction between thefixture and the groove by compressing the springs J J.

e construction just described, having the additional braking action dueto the head of the fixture to swing upwardly compression of the springsby the outward around the plvo s a fulcrumswing of the brake wheels, isof particular By having the guide rollers, M, M, so

constructed as to be normally out of contact with the window frame, thepressure of springs J, J, is exerted entirely upon the brake wheels N,N; thus much less spring pressure is needed than would be the case ifsome of the pressure erted upon the freely rotating guide rollers. It isobvious that many changes may be made in theproportions andconstructions of this device without departing from the spirit of myinvention, and that parts of my device may be used without using theother parts, and that parts of this invention may be used in otherdevices in this and other arts. I do not desire, therefore, to belimited to the disclosure which I have made in this case, but claim asmy invention:

1. In a curtain fixture, the combination of curtain stick having'ahollow end provided value in connection with curtains such as are usedin open cars, which extend down as far as the flooring. Such longcurtains in open cars generally necessitate the use of a very powerfulspring roller, and the tension of this spring roller together with thetension produced by the air pressure upon the curtain necessitates theuse of a fixture producing a large amount of friction in order to holdthe curtain in place. For the ordinary length of curtain, such as usedin closed railways cars, I prefer to omit this additional brakingaction, as a less amount of friction is sufficient to hold the curtainand an excessive amount of friction is dis advantageous for the reasonthat when the curtain fixture is pushed up against such friction, it isliable to come out of the groove.

I have were ex .means for limiting with a slot, a shank mounted withinsaid end and carrying a head, a pin mounted upon said shank andextending through said slot, a sleeve mounted upon said hollow end andadapted to limit the outward movement of said pin, and a spring adaptedto press said shank outwardly, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

2. In a curtain fixture, the combination of a curtain stick having ahollow end provided with a slot, a shank mounted within said end andcarrying a head, a pin mounted upon said shank and extending throughsaid slot, a sleeve adjustably mounted upon said hollow end, to limitvariably the outward movement of said pin and an adjustable springadapted to press said shank outwardly, substantially as and for thepurpose described.

3. In a curtain fixture, the combination of a curtain stick having ahollow end provided with a slot, a shank mounted within said end andcarrying a head, a pin mounted upon said shank and extending throughsaid slot, a sleeve mounted upon said hollow end and provided with anotch adapted to receive said pin, and an adjustable spring adapted topress said shank outwardly, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

4. In a curtain fixture, the combination of a curtain stick, a headslidably mounted within one end of said stick and having an outwardlythrusting spring, a guide wheel mounted at the top of the head and soarranged as normally to be out of contact with the window frame, a brakewheel mounted at the lower end of the head and adapted to turncontinuously in one direction and means for preventing the rotation ofsaid wheel in the other direction, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

5. In combination with a curtain stick, a member pivotally mounted uponsaid stick, the movement of said member about its pivot, a brake wheelturn in one direction, means for preventing its rotation in the otherdirection, said wheel and said member being so mounted that theirrespective axes of rotation do not lie in the same line, substantiallyas and for the purpose described.

6. In a curtain fixture, the combination of a curtain stick, a headslidably mounted within one end of said stick, and having an outwardlythrusting spring, a member pivoted on the stick, means for limiting themovement of said member about its pivot, a brake wheel mounted on saidmember and adapted to turn in one direction, means for preventing itsrotation in the other direction, said wheel and said member being somounted that their respective axes of rotation do not lie in the sameline, substantially as and for the purpose described.

7. In a curtain fixture, the combination of a curtain stick, a headslidably mounted end of said stick and having an within one outwardlythrusting spring, and a brake wheel eccentrically pivoted upon saidhead, said brake wheel comprising a disk, an encircling ring, and meansfor permitting movement of the ring in one direction only, and means forpositively limiting the movement of the wheel upon its pivot,substantially as and for the purpose described.

8. As an article of manufacture, a brake comprising a disk eccentricallymounted on a pivot, a ring surrounding said disk, means for preventingthe rotation of the ring around said disk in one direction, and meansfor positively limiting the movement of: the disk upon its pivot.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 26th day ofNovember, 1907.

DOUGLAS E. BONNER.

WVitnesses:

KATHARINE DALY, GEORGE N. B031).

mounted on said member and adapted to

